Into the Light: The Art and Inspiration of Katey Barrett

“Into the Light: The Art and Inspiration of Katey Barrett” showcased more than 40 works by the prominent Southern California equine photographer known for her individual artistry and documentation style. The exhibit, the library’s first major curated art display, emphasized Barrett’s use of light, film, and pioneering photographic techniques.

The Keeneland Library acquired its Katey Barrett collection in December 2014. The collection, spanning the 1970s through the 2010s, was the library’s first collection of color photography and the first to comprehensively document West Coast racing. Barrett’s unusual capture of the movement, power, and beauty of the horse has been the subject of photo essays in varied publications, including Spur, Equine Images, Western Styles, theDaily Racing Form, and the Thoroughbred Record. She is the author of The Light Touch(Pump Publications, 1988) and The Hill: 30 Years of Photographing Santa Anita’s Unique Downhill Turf Course (Global Media Network, 2012).